On pp. 6-7 of Elza Cox' book The Genealogy of William Tobias Phillips is the sentence "Tobias L. Phillips, Sr., died September 1832 in Floyd Co., however on his tombstone located in the Phillips Cemetery on Little Creek it reads, Jan. 14, 1831, age 45."

Elza does not mention what his source is for the Sep 1832 date of death, nor why he believes it to be more accurate than the tombstone. However, on page 8 under the profile of the Braxton Cox/Nancy Phillips family is the tantalizing hint "Braxton had been accused of killing his brother-in-law, Tobias L. Phillips." No mention of what became of the accusation, or the context under which it was made, but perhaps it stems from a Sept 1832 court record of Tobias' death? (Braxton and Tobias were double brothers-in-law: Tobias' wife was Braxton's sister, and Braxton's wife was Tobias' sister.)

Elza Cox's Genealogy of William Tobias Phillips gives her birthdate as 26 Aug 1804 and her date of death as 11 Mar 1859, but I believe both those dates to be incorrect. The birthdate would mean she was having children at 11 years old. And the death date must be wrong because she appears in the 1880 census with her son Tobias L. Phillips Jr., with the relationship recorded as mother. My guess is that there was a gravestone for some other Lucy Burke that Elza mistook for this one. (There is no death record for any Lucy Burke or similar name in Floyd Co. in 1859.)

Her age as given in census fluctuates wildly, being shown as x in 1850, 60 in 1860, 76 in 1870, and 88 in 1880. The birthdate I’ve entered of about 1800 is a compromise. She might be a twin of her sister Sarah.

The will of Lucy's father, Ambrose N. Cox, contains the following passage:
To my daughter, Lucy Burke, Three Hundred dollars to be paid in such matter and at such times in such installments of Twenty-Five dollars a year the first payment due twelve months after my decease. If my said daughter, Lucy Burke should die before the said sum of money or part thereof becomes due, then in that case, I give and bequeath the said Three Hundred dollars or such part thereof as be due at the death of Lucy Burke to my said five sons, for I am determined that her children by Tobias Phillips shall never enjoy any of my effects."